Jumping Spider (Phidippus audax)

Jumping Spider

Camera: Canon 1D X
Exposure: 1/50
Aperture: f/7
Focal Length: 100mm
ISO: 400

Jumping spiders (Phidippus audax) are amazing little creatures with very highly evolved vision that use unique mechanisms to focus light.  A jumping spider was one of the first spiders I ever photographed with a macro lens and they captured my imagination.  I am not alone in this feeling as there are others, like Thomas Shahan (@ThomasShahan) who captures beautiful images of many insects, but particularly of jumping spiders.

 

Jumping-spider-signaling

The other amazing thing about these spiders is how interactive they are with you from a visual perspective.  If you show them a mirror image of themselves, they may even display to it by waving their arms to the other spider.  They are truly, one of the only insects that “look” at you in a manner that you feel there is some sort of recognition of other.

 

Jumping Spider on finger

They are quite docile and a wonderful way to teach your kids (or yourself) about insects and insect vision through careful handling and interaction.  Just be careful handling them because their name “jumping spider” is well earned by having the ability to launch themselves quite far away through hydraulic pressure pumping into their hind legs.

One Reply to “Jumping Spider (Phidippus audax)”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *